California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) is reportedly considering issuing cash payments to the state’s illegal immigrants as part of a Golden State “Disaster Relief Fund” for the state’s illegal immigrants, according to a Wednesday Associated Press report.
When asked about giving potential financial assistance to illegal immigrants impacted by the coronavirus crisis, Newsom reportedly replied on Tuesday evening that “all of that is being considered.”
According to the report, Newsom said that the broader state-level stimulus package, which he hopes to roll out in May and is discussing with legislators, will have “some economic stimulus strategies at a state level, not just waiting for the federal government to do that for us.”
“Californians care deeply about undocumented residents in this state,” Newsom reportedly added.
The coronavirus relief bill that President Donald Trump signed will issue cash payments to individuals and couples who meet the income requirements and have Social Security numbers. Illegal immigrants are not eligible to receive the federal stimulus checks or the extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits.
Three House Democrats, two of whom are from California (Reps. Judy Chu and Lou Correa), recently introduced the Leave No Taxpayer Behind Act to amend the stimulus bill to issue stimulus cash payments to everyone with an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), which many illegal immigrants have, who qualifies.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) initially wanted the relief bill to issue cash payments to everyone with an ITIN, and high-profile progressives like Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have been more vocal about the need to issue cash payments to illegal immigrants with ITINs.
If you don’t believe undocumented workers should have access to relief during #COVID19, does that mean you’re willing return the billions they pay in taxes each year? Will you defund your schools?
Or, in this moment, will we recognize that we should just take care of each other?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 8, 2020
The Associated Press, citing a California Latino Legislative Caucus report, noted that there are “about 2 million people in California” who are “suspected of living in the country illegally.”
The California Latino Legislative Caucus has reportedly asked Newsom to create the “Disaster Relief Fund” to issue cash payments to illegal immigrants impacted by the coronavirus crisis reportedly “until the state’s emergency proclamation is lifted or they are able to return to work.”
Our undocumented workers are either on the frontlines as essential workers w/o healthcare, adequate sick days & safety equipment or they’ve lost their job without ability to access the unemployment insurance or stimulus that they have helped pay into. We must do more. https://t.co/xMY6CDctbT
— Lorena (@LorenaSGonzalez) April 7, 2020
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